SBI3U1 Date:______________
Kingdom Fungi

Fungi are the major _____________________ on Earth

They are responsible for much of the cycling of nutrients through the
_______________

Many are edible!

Are used to make bread, soy sauce, blue cheese

Are used to make the _____________________ penicillin (made from a waste product from Penicillium fungi!)

Bioremediation - using microorganisms to _______________________ poisons and toxins into CO
2
, H
2
O and other elements

Fungi are NOT _________________! They cannot photosynthesize!

They don't have true roots or storage molecules

They are heterotrophic ______________________

100,000+ species of fungi recognized to date.

Fungi are classified into five major phyla, including the following two: o The Basidiomycota - most mushrooms o The Zygomycota - many moulds found on fruits and bread
Characteristics:

Fungi have very diverse characteristics and lifestyles

Some mimic birds ’ nests, others are parasitic fungi that kill the host!- Cordyceps
General Structure:

The bodies of most fungi are mesh-like, composed of a branching network of filaments called a _____________________ (for nutrient absorption)

_________________ (singular: hypha) are individual filaments with long tubes of cytoplasm containing many nuclei. A complex chemical, ________________, is found in the cell walls of fungi.

Hyphae form the "fuzz" often associated with ______________. They also form the reproductive structures of many fungi (ie - puffballs)
Yeast

Are _________________-celled fungi!

Yeast are used in the making of many foods (i.e. bread) and alcoholic beverages.

Fungal Life Cycle
For basidiomycetes:

Spores (haploid-have a single set of chromosomes), germinate and produce hyphae. When _________ hyphae come in contact with each other, two of their cells can fuse, forming a _________________________ (made of two haploid nuclei).

When the mycelium becomes large and mature, it may produce a mushroom cap.
On the underside of the cap, spore-producing structures called
___________________ form on the mushroom's gills. Within the basidia, the two haploid nuclei fuse to form a _________________.

This zygote undergoes meiosis, producing four haploid spores which are released into the environment. When conditions are right, these spores
_______________________ and the cycle continues. A single mushroom can release 100 million spores an hour!
Lichens

are symbiotic combinations of fungi and photosynthetic cyanobacteria or green algae

the fungi protects the algae and supplies them with water and mineral nutrients. In return, the algae supply the fungi with food.
Harmful Fungi
- Many fungi can be parasitic on plants and animals
- Can kill crops and trees (10-50% of the world's fruit harvest is destroyed by Fungi)
- Cause animal and plant diseases
- Can affect eyes, skin, hair and nails on humans
- Can cause allergies (spores)
- Poisonous mushrooms ( Ergot Fungus)